2) Summary: Fun Brain is useful for both the teacher and the student. This site offers fun games for children in the areas of math and reading. I found it helpful that not only can a student browse all of the games in areas like the math arcade but they can also find games categorized by grade, making it easier to find games appropriate for their particular grade level. Teachers can also use this website to find activities appropriate for their class. The game 2 Be or Nottoobee is a game that focuses on verb conjugation – was and were – in both the past and the present. The player is presented a sentence with a blank and three possible answers. The object of the game is for the player to pick the correct verb conjugation that fits in the sentence.
3) Evaluate the game:
Color: The colors in this game are very simple. The background of the game is simply a white screen. The only other bursts of color in 2 Be or Nottoobee are in the bee characters, the flowers, and the sentences. These colors are blue, yellow, orange, pink, green and red.
Repetition: This game repeats the same ideas throughout. The choices to fill in the blanks are the same for each question. This makes it easier for the player to realize the proper use of each verb conjugation.
Talking text:This game does not have any talking text.
Visual cues: This game does not have any visual cues.
Mistakes: If the player makes a mistake, a message comes up saying, “Oops! You picked . It should be _. “ Oops is in red so the player gets an idea that something is wrong. I think it is important to note that when the game tells the player they are wrong they repeat the error and then show him/or her, the correct answer.
Rating: This game does not ask the player to rate.
Highlighted cues: There are no highlighted cues in this game.
Navigation routine: This game does not have any distinct navigation routes. The player simply uses the mouse to click on the answer they think is correct.
Click back and back: Players are able to click back on the top of their internet explorer. The game gives them another chance to answer previous questions rather they answered correct or not the first time. However, the game continues from the spot they went back to.
Click and drag: This game does not use click and drag.
4) Rating: I would rate this game to be an 8 out of 10, 10 being the highest. I think this game is a good way for fourth graders to learn the correct usage of both the past and the present uses of verb conjugation. The game provides players with correct answers if they get a question wrong. It is a constructive, fun way to learn!
2) Summary: Game Classroom is an extremely helpful website – it has articles, newsletters, and games. It is helpful for both the student and a teacher grades K to 6. An individual can search the website for an appropriate game or he/or she can simple click on the grade level they desire and find both math and language/literature games skill building games. Batter up is a 5th grade level language arts game. To play, the pitcher throws a pitch with a question the player needs to answer. Depending on the amount of time the player takes to answer, he/or she will either get a single, double, triple, home run, or strike.
3) Evaluate the game:
Color: The colors in this game are bright but overall very dull. The graphics are not as up to date as most games children in grade 5 have seen before.
Repetition: This game has repetition on the questions and choices thrown with each pitch. If a gets a question wrong, it is repeated a few times until the game is over.
Talking text: This game does not have any talking text.
Visual cues: Once the ball is pitched to the player, and he/or she is taking time to answer, the color is changing around the ball to alert them that time is running out to get a home run. If the player guesses an answer correct it turns green, if it is wrong it turns red.
Mistakes: If you make a mistake the option you chose turns red until you get the correct answer.
Rating: This game does not ask the player to rate once he or she has finished. But once the game has been played, if the player goes back to the informational screen, the option is there to rate the game.
Highlighted cues: There are no highlighted cues in this game.
Navigation routine: This game is not very navigational. The only time navigation is used is when the player moves the mouse to select ready and the choice for each pitch question.
Click back and back: The only time a player is able to click back is while reading the directions. Otherwise there is no need to click back while playing the game.
Click and drag: There is no click and drag in this game.
4) Rating: I would rate Batter up a 5 on a scale of 1 to 10, 10 being the best. I think the graphics and coloring could be enhanced to get the player excited about the game. I also found it tedious to wait while the batter ran around however many bases earned from my guesses. I think 5th graders would rather be playing the game and answering more questions while they wait for the player to run the bases. Talking text may enhance the game as well. Overall, the questions asked are very good but the way it is presented could be improved to fit the needs of the players.
2) Summary: Toon University is an extremely educational site for teachers and students. It offers games in math, language, social studies, and science. Under each subject games are listed in order of grade level, they are also labeled, making it easy for students and teachers to select the appropriate level game. Spelling (Level 5) is a game that helps students with commonly misspelled words. The player is given three words, two spelt incorrectly and one spelt correctly. Using the keys J, K, and L, the player moves their character under his/or her guess and presses the space bar to shoot at the answer cloud.
3) Evaluate the game:
Color: The colors in this game are very simple. The background of the game is white on a yellow webpage. The clouds with the spelt out words are grey and light blue. At certain points during the game there is a bright square of color. I think the simplicity of color allows the player to concentrate of the spellings of the words presented.
Repetition: This game repeats the same idea throughout the game. Each turn has different words spelt correctly and incorrectly.
Talking text: This game does not have any talking text.
Visual cues: This game does not have any visual cues.
Mistakes: If the player makes a mistake, the box above the game gives the correct spelling of the word.
Rating: This game does not ask the player to rate.
Highlighted cues: There are no highlighted cues in this game.
Navigation routine: This game uses the J, K, L, I, and space bar keys to navigate the player on the screen. J moves the player left, K to the middle, L to the right, I upwards, and the space bar releases the ball shot to the players guess.
Click back and back: This game does not allow players to go back.
Click and drag: This game does not use click and drag.
4) Rating: I would rate this game an 8 out of 10. The only thing I found this game to be lacking was more of a reaction when the player choses the wrong spelling. I found it odd that it simply gives the correct spelling because unless the student looks closely they may not fully understand what they spelt wrong. Other then that I found this game to be very challenging and helpful to new spellers.
Elizabeth Donahue
October 1, 2010
Level: Intermediate (4-6)
Assignment #3 EDC 203 Wiki of Great Language Arts Sites
Website: Fun Brain
Game: 2 Be or Nottoobee
Level: 4
1) Web link: http://www.funbrain.com/verb/index.html
2) Summary: Fun Brain is useful for both the teacher and the student. This site offers fun games for children in the areas of math and reading. I found it helpful that not only can a student browse all of the games in areas like the math arcade but they can also find games categorized by grade, making it easier to find games appropriate for their particular grade level. Teachers can also use this website to find activities appropriate for their class. The game 2 Be or Nottoobee is a game that focuses on verb conjugation – was and were – in both the past and the present. The player is presented a sentence with a blank and three possible answers. The object of the game is for the player to pick the correct verb conjugation that fits in the sentence.
3) Evaluate the game:
Color: The colors in this game are very simple. The background of the game is simply a white screen. The only other bursts of color in 2 Be or Nottoobee are in the bee characters, the flowers, and the sentences. These colors are blue, yellow, orange, pink, green and red.
Repetition: This game repeats the same ideas throughout. The choices to fill in the blanks are the same for each question. This makes it easier for the player to realize the proper use of each verb conjugation.
Talking text: This game does not have any talking text.
Visual cues: This game does not have any visual cues.
Mistakes: If the player makes a mistake, a message comes up saying, “Oops! You picked . It should be _. “ Oops is in red so the player gets an idea that something is wrong. I think it is important to note that when the game tells the player they are wrong they repeat the error and then show him/or her, the correct answer.
Rating: This game does not ask the player to rate.
Highlighted cues: There are no highlighted cues in this game.
Navigation routine: This game does not have any distinct navigation routes. The player simply uses the mouse to click on the answer they think is correct.
Click back and back: Players are able to click back on the top of their internet explorer. The game gives them another chance to answer previous questions rather they answered correct or not the first time. However, the game continues from the spot they went back to.
Click and drag: This game does not use click and drag.
4) Rating: I would rate this game to be an 8 out of 10, 10 being the highest. I think this game is a good way for fourth graders to learn the correct usage of both the past and the present uses of verb conjugation. The game provides players with correct answers if they get a question wrong. It is a constructive, fun way to learn!
Website: Game Classroom
Game: Batter Up
Level: 5
1) Web link: http://www.gameclassroom.com/game/45274-3303/imagery-metaphors-and-symbolism/figurative-language-baseball
2) Summary: Game Classroom is an extremely helpful website – it has articles, newsletters, and games. It is helpful for both the student and a teacher grades K to 6. An individual can search the website for an appropriate game or he/or she can simple click on the grade level they desire and find both math and language/literature games skill building games. Batter up is a 5th grade level language arts game. To play, the pitcher throws a pitch with a question the player needs to answer. Depending on the amount of time the player takes to answer, he/or she will either get a single, double, triple, home run, or strike.
3) Evaluate the game:
Color: The colors in this game are bright but overall very dull. The graphics are not as up to date as most games children in grade 5 have seen before.
Repetition: This game has repetition on the questions and choices thrown with each pitch. If a gets a question wrong, it is repeated a few times until the game is over.
Talking text: This game does not have any talking text.
Visual cues: Once the ball is pitched to the player, and he/or she is taking time to answer, the color is changing around the ball to alert them that time is running out to get a home run. If the player guesses an answer correct it turns green, if it is wrong it turns red.
Mistakes: If you make a mistake the option you chose turns red until you get the correct answer.
Rating: This game does not ask the player to rate once he or she has finished. But once the game has been played, if the player goes back to the informational screen, the option is there to rate the game.
Highlighted cues: There are no highlighted cues in this game.
Navigation routine: This game is not very navigational. The only time navigation is used is when the player moves the mouse to select ready and the choice for each pitch question.
Click back and back: The only time a player is able to click back is while reading the directions. Otherwise there is no need to click back while playing the game.
Click and drag: There is no click and drag in this game.
4) Rating: I would rate Batter up a 5 on a scale of 1 to 10, 10 being the best. I think the graphics and coloring could be enhanced to get the player excited about the game. I also found it tedious to wait while the batter ran around however many bases earned from my guesses. I think 5th graders would rather be playing the game and answering more questions while they wait for the player to run the bases. Talking text may enhance the game as well. Overall, the questions asked are very good but the way it is presented could be improved to fit the needs of the players.
Website: Toon University
Game: Spelling (Level 5)
Level: 5
1) Web link: http://www.toonuniversity.com/flash.asp?err=526&engine=7
2) Summary: Toon University is an extremely educational site for teachers and students. It offers games in math, language, social studies, and science. Under each subject games are listed in order of grade level, they are also labeled, making it easy for students and teachers to select the appropriate level game. Spelling (Level 5) is a game that helps students with commonly misspelled words. The player is given three words, two spelt incorrectly and one spelt correctly. Using the keys J, K, and L, the player moves their character under his/or her guess and presses the space bar to shoot at the answer cloud.
3) Evaluate the game:
4) Rating: I would rate this game an 8 out of 10. The only thing I found this game to be lacking was more of a reaction when the player choses the wrong spelling. I found it odd that it simply gives the correct spelling because unless the student looks closely they may not fully understand what they spelt wrong. Other then that I found this game to be very challenging and helpful to new spellers.